The One That Got Away
by In.The.DiNozzone
Summary: This rating is temporary. I assure you it's going to go straight to 'M'. For language, sexuality and other mature subject matter... Might eventually be Jibbs, but there are Jibbs mentions all the way through.
1. Fascination

I decided I'm going to take this story from a new angle... Post Judgment day- Jen's alive. Although struggling with some minor problems such as recovering little bits and pieces of some blanks in her memory. This will be further explained in a later chapter, so don't fret if you're a little confused~! You'll understand soon enough.

First chapter is short- second chapter will be longer.

Disclaimer: I own nothing (Except Jay, he's my own creation... Yaay for OC's.) But really, NCIS isn't mine- clearly. If ... If it was, Jen wouldn't be dead.

* * *

Today, it was particularly cold outside. Sure, that's to be expected when one is sitting out in a park in Washington, D.C. in the middle of February, but it was still irritating enough to make this woman hug her jacket a little closer from the cool wind. "Jay, stay where I can see you, please." She called, watching a young boy around the age of eleven play a few meters away with his dog.

Bright blue eyes were turned on the woman, and the boy gave an enthusiastic nod to her. "Kay, mom." He replied with a nonchalant wave, going back to wrestling with the dog that was almost the same size as him. He took a moment, gently pushing the dog off of him to watch his mother for a few moments. As young as he was, he took care of his mother as much as she took care of him, and he was always wary about watching her to check if she was in any obvious pain. Apparently being shot in the shoulder was a long term thing. He got up when he saw a group of people jogging down the walkway and picked up his dog's leash, walking back over to the bench where his mother was sitting. "Mom, do they do this every day?" He asked, looking up at her.

The woman glanced at him, smiling a little. "Probably," She indicated their sweatshirts that all said 'NAVY' on them, "Marines. This is just part of their daily life. Training. They have to stay strong so they can do a good job protecting us all." She reached over and tugged his hat down over his ears gently.

He ducked away from her touch and watched the group run past. "I wanna be a marine, one day." He said thoughtfully. "Okay .. Maybe. I wonder if they just have something where they have people doing computer stuff.." He wondered aloud.

She laughed softly, "Of course they do. There's always tech people- You really want to do something like that?" She asked, particularly fond of his way of thinking.

"Well, yeah. I think it would be fun! Serving the country- and everyone respects them, too. I bet their techies don't get made fun of all the time…" he made a face and reached over to pet his dog.

"You've still got a few years yet, but I think you should stick to that, Jay. It sounds like a good idea for everyone." She assured him, standing up. "Okay. Are you guys worn out yet? Cause I'm freezing my butt off. I want to go home." She laughed softly, holding out her hand to her son.

He took her hand and shrugged, walking with her back toward the park exit but her sudden flinch made him worry. "Mom?"

The woman's eyes were trained on three vehicles. "Jasper, this way." She said quietly, gently pulling him toward their car. "Get in the car." She demanded gently, keeping an eye on the vehicles. There were two trucks marked NCIS and a black sedan. She stood next to the driver side of her own vehicle, listening intently behind her to make sure her son and his dog were in the vehicle before she pulled her own door open. She continued watching intently as four team members all managed their way out of the vehicles.

A young woman, two men who seemed to be bickering, the two medical examiners, and the one who seemed to be the leader of the team. She knew that man, she knew him very well. His name rang loudly in her mind. She flinched when that man looked her way and she felt her blood run cold. How could she have been stupid enough to stand there and watch them? She should have got into her car and left the moment she'd seen the van marked NCIS. Already, he was advancing. She was screwed now.

She risked looking over her shoulder, praying that there was someone else here that he would be going after. Nope. She was the only one standing in the parking lot among the few cars there. She noticed he was looking at her as though he didn't believe she was there and she frowned, glaring at him. The glare made him stop, and slowly she shook her head, indicating he shouldn't take another step. Without so much as another glance in his direction, she got into her car and started the engine. She looked over at her son and smiled, "You ready to go?" She asked, glancing in the back seat to make sure the dog was settled back there too.

Jay nodded, "Yeah, Are you okay mom? You look like you're gonna be sick, or something. Is it your shoulder?"

She smiled and shook her head, "I'm fine, Jay." She pulled on her seatbelt carefully, quite obviously favoring her left arm. "Just saw someone I thought I knew. That's all."

"Did you know them? When you were the director?" He asked hesitantly as he put on his own seatbelt and got comfortable while she pulled out of the parking lot.

"That was a long time ago, Jay." She said stiffly, staring out the windshield intently. She put on a pair of sunglasses and sighed, resting her right hand a little lower on the steering wheel. "Long time ago. I probably don't know anyone from there anymore." She was clearly bringing this conversation to a halt right then and there.


	2. Can't Take My Mind Off You

Chapter two guys! See? I'm not letting you down! Hahaha. My first fic with an actual case... Amazing! Also, as some of you may have noticed... I get my inspiration from music. So, if you have any suggestions of songs that might inspire me for this- LET ME KNOW! Enjoy~

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs had been having a particularly crappy day from the moment he'd woken up. So far today, he had tripped on a shirt he'd left on the floor and smacked his head on a wall- had a mishap with his water, causing his morning shower to become _very_ cold, and his coffee order had been screwed up. How someone could screw up such a simple order, he would _never_ understand. There wasn't even anything in his coffee but coffee! How does one screw that up?

He growled to himself as he stormed down the stairs from the Director's office where he'd received a call about a dead petty officer found in Anacostia park. He took a drink from his coffee (the second one he'd got after angrily demanding so after they screwed it up the first time) and rounded the corner, walking over to his desk to check something. "Grab your gear." He demanded rather angrily, "Dead Petty Officer in Anacostia." He growled at Tony. Then it registered that Tony was here on a Saturday. He shook the thought off and reached for his cell phone as he went around his desk again, holstering his gun and putting his badge away. "Now, DiNozzo!" He snapped. He hated working Saturdays just as much as the next agent, but it wouldn't stop him from doing his job.

"On it, Boss." Tony was right behind him in a matter of seconds, backpack over his shoulder. "Why is it always Anacostia park? What is so great about that park?" He murmured quietly to himself, making a face. "You call Ziva I'll call McGee? I'll call Ziva you call McGee?"

Gibbs turned and gave the younger agent a look that clearly stated, 'Shut up before I beat you with something'. "I'll call Ziva. You call McGee." He threw the keys at Tony. "You can pick them up on your way. Take the truck." He stated stiffly, stepping out of the elevator at the garage. He was in no mood for the man's hyper chatter today.

* * *

When Gibbs finally parked his car, he saw his team pull up behind him- and moments later Ducky and Palmer. He climbed out of his car, putting his hat on and walking over to the truck. He pulled the door open, all but pulling Ziva and McGee out. He indicated a man who looked rather shaken who was standing next to one of the security guards from the park. "He found the body. You go talk to him and find out what he knows." He told Ziva, glancing over at Ducky, "Follow her, find out where that body is." He glanced behind him when he heard a dog bark. Perhaps there were more witnesses. He saw a young boy and his dog and a woman he only assumed was his mother.

"Tony, find out if there were any other witnesses, McGee, go with Ducky." He growled, turning to look at the woman across the parking lot. He noticed she was watching him so he began to advance, pausing for a moment. He squinted, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. It couldn't be…

_Jen? No, impossible. Jen was dead. He'd seen the body bag...  
_

He froze when the woman slowly shook her head, indicating he shouldn't come any closer. He'd get the plates from that car and find out who she was and what she'd seen. He had a more important job to do right now. "Ziva," He barked, startling the woman into giving him her attention. "that car, right there." He indicated the silver Subaru. "I want the plates. Get them. I'll need to track her down and find out what she knows." He growled, turning and walking after the rest of the team. Something nagged him about that woman- why hadn't he kept walking toward her and why the _hell_ had he let her drive away? She was a potential suspect!

* * *

"What have we got, Duck?" Gibbs asked, a little more gently than he spoke to the rest of his team.

"An interrupted Saturday afternoon, Jethro." Ducky replied with great displeasure. "And multiple lacerations on the neck, back and face."

"Time of Death?"

"I was getting to that, if you would just let me finish…" Ducky gave the man a pointed look. "According to liver temperature, our petty officer died around Nine o' clock this morning. Of course that's only an estimate, given the current temperature and the snow he's laying on top of." He indicated the thin layer of snow covering the area.

"Cause of death?"

"Well, I can't say for sure, but I'm going to say it might have something to do with snapping his neck after falling out of this tree." Ducky indicated the branch about nine or ten feet above their heads that was wide enough to support at least two hundred pounds.

"What the hell was he doing in a tree…" He said mostly to himself. He turned to McGee, glaring at him. "Do we have a name yet?" He growled.

Tim looked up from where he was standing looking down at some piece of technology or another. "Uh, Petty Officer David Sanderough, boss. Lives about ten blocks from here, went on a run every morning. Same route, every day."

"What else?" He barked impatiently, glaring at the young agent.

"Uh, I won't know more until I can get to a computer and access his files, boss." He stared blankly at the man for a moment.

Gibbs gave the man a pointed look, glancing over at Tony who had already begun to shoot and sketch while Ziva was following behind him, collecting possible evidence. "Ziva!" He snapped, causing the woman to pause and look in his general direction. "You get the plates from that car?" He demanded.

With a frown, Ziva nodded and carefully walked over to him. "Yes, Gibbs. I did. Why did you let them leave? Who knows where they could be by now." She gave him a look but handed over a piece of paper with his requested information. "What if they had something to do with it?" Yes, she was doubting him.

"Trust me, Ziva. They aren't going far." He said quietly, tucking the piece of paper away in his pocket and glancing over at his team. He turned his attention to the medical examiner once again. "This look like a murder to you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Well, I won't make any assumptions, but what would a jogging man following his usual routine… Be doing that high up in a tree?" He gave Gibbs a look and continued looking the body over while he waited for his assistant to bring over a body bag. "Accident or not, I think this man might have been chased up there." He gave a shrug, hoping to get a moment of peace with his work. He looked over at his team. "Get whatever you find to Abby." He demanded before making his way back toward the parking lot.

Tony turned from the camera, looking at his boss with a confused look. "Where are you going?" He asked, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

Gibbs held up a piece of paper, "I got a possible witness to track down." He called over his shoulder.

Tony exchanged a look with Ziva, and then they both turned to Ducky. McGee walked over and looked between Tony and Ziva. "Why isn't he making one of us do it?" He finally broke the silence with the question they had all been wondering.

Ziva smirked at the man, "Didn't you see the woman the car belonged to? She was a redhead." She pointed out before going back to work. She laughed to herself when the two men exchanged an understanding look.

* * *

Well~? ;)


	3. Reflections, Protection

_Chapter three~ Shit- meet fan! well.. Not quite yet, but soon, I assure you._

* * *

Gibbs stayed in his car for a long time sitting outside of that house. The woman was home, with her son. He'd seen her pass a window a few times. From this far away he couldn't quite see her face, but he could tell it was the woman he'd seen at the park. He knew he was being crazy, assuming it was Jen and all. She was dead, and he had come to terms with that about a year after her death. Sure, he occasionally still dreamed of her, just like he had for years after Shannon had died, but it wasn't a big surprise. It's hard to lose someone you love, especially when it's beyond your control. He took a breath, getting out of the car finally and crossing the quiet street. He hesitated at the door, staring at it for a long time. What the hell was it that was stopping him? Suddenly, the door open and it startled him to the point of a near flinch.

"You know, some people would consider it extremely creepy- finding a fed just standing outside their door." The redhead said flatly, narrowing her eyes slightly.

He felt the color drain from his face, his stomach turned and he actually swore for a single moment he might be sick. He swallowed that feeling and cleared his throat, studying her face for a few long moments. "Mind if I ask you a few questions, Jen?" He finally said when he found the courage for words again.

"Let me guess, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and now I'm a suspect in some case that I have no idea was even lingering around the area?" She leaned on the door and stared at him evenly, holding her ground and showing no signs that she would let him into her home.

"Pretty much." He narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling a sudden anger rising in him.

"Fine. But you're not coming into my house." She stepped outside, pulling the door tightly closed behind her and looking up at him. She was considerably shorter than him when she was wearing flat shoes. "What do you want to know? Come on, Jethro. You look like you've seen a ghost, or something."

He stared at her, taking a step back when she came outside. He had so many questions now, his head was reeling- even if it wasn't showing on the outside. He glared at her final words. "At the moment, I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking at." He growled, having a little trouble keeping a hold on his temper. She was alive? Very alive. She hadn't died three years ago? The funeral was a set up? Who else knew she was alive? He was furious, to say the least. "Where were you today between the hours of seven and ten am?" He growled dangerously.

Jen blinked at his harsh tone of voice and narrowed her eyes. "Uh, well, I woke up at eight thirty and took the dog out into the back yard.. And then I came in and made breakfast and then my sister called- and if you don't believe me you can check my phone records. I talked to her until about quarter after nine, then we got off the phone… I went and hat a shower, it was about quarter to ten by that time…"

"Alright. Alright, enough. Where were you last night?" He asked, having pulled out his writing pad halfway through her speech. He glanced up at her when he felt her glaring.

"At home, Again. There are phone records to prove it." She folded her arms and tried to stop herself from shivering. "So, that all you need?" She asked stiffly, biting the inside of her cheek to focus on something other than the cold.

"Yeah, just don't leave the city." He growled, turning to walk away from her.

"So that's it?" She asked, glaring at the back of his head. "You haven't seen me for almost three years, and you show up at my door, suspect me of a murder I wasn't even aware of, if it even is a murder, and that's it? You're just going to leave? You don't have anything _personal _to say to me?"

He paused halfway down the sidewalk, feeling her glare burning the back of his head. He turned and advanced on her, jogging back up the steps and getting right in her face. He glared. "You died three years ago. That's the only damn thing I need to know." He turned and walked back down the steps, getting into his car and slamming the door.

Jen almost stepped back when he got so close. He was furious, she could see it in his eyes. She didn't feel bad, though. She did what she had to do, and she'd saved his ass doing it. But if that was how he wanted to be… She winced when the car door slammed and she watched him drive away, tires squealing with how fast and angrily he drove off. Both eyebrows raised, she shook her head and sighed, "It's a wonder that man hasn't killed himself in an accident." She turned and went back into the house, walking to the kitchen and sitting down. She looked up when she heart light footsteps and smiled warily at the sight of her son in the doorway, looking rather concerned.

"Who was that, mom?" He asked in a completely serious tone.

"It was no one, Jay. Just someone looking for directions. Why don't you take Dash into the living room and watch a movie or something? I have some things to do." She stood and walked over, kissing the top of his head as she went to make tea.

He nodded, frowning a little. He could tell she was lying, but he wouldn't press the matter. He knew his mother well enough, and if she was lying there was probably a good reason. "How is your shoulder feeling?" He changed the subject, watching her as she worked more with her left hand than her right.

"Sore," She sighed, "But I'm fine. Promise." She cast him a reassuring smile before going about what she was doing.

He nodded again, taking a step toward the living room, but looking back at her again. "He was from NCIS, wasn't he?" He asked, shooing the dog into the living room.

Jen leaned against the counter and sighed softly, "Yes. But we're not talking about this. Go play a game or something." She demanded sternly, forcing the conversation to come to an end. She would not talk about this with him, not today.

Jay nodded and turned away, walking into the living room silently. She was using that 'shut up and quit while you're ahead' tone of voice, and he knew better than to argue. He sat down on the couch, patting next to him so Dash would come sit with him. He leaned on the dog and turned on the TV, channel flipping with little interest.

Jen walked into the living room, waiting for the water to boil so she could have her tea. "How would you feel about staying with your aunt for a few days, Jay?" This situation she'd just gotten them into was going to get messy… Crime or no crime, Jethro knew she was alive, it was only a matter of time before shit hit the fan.

* * *

_ooo~ what now?_


End file.
